The Passing of A Year
by drace-hunter
Summary: [Naurtocentric] The events and holidays from Naruto's side of the fence.
1. smile

The first rays of early morning found Uzumaki Naruto before the Hero's monument. He was sitting silently before the impersonal stone, staring.

Morning moved along as birds began singing, shinobi went about their work, and children went to school. Yet still Naruto sat.

He did this because he was looking for one name. One name on that vast expanse of names engraved on the cold stone. Looking. Longing. Just _one_ name. But... he couldn't find it.

Sighing, Naruto stood up and dusted off his pants. He then began walking towards the bridge where he'd meet up with his team at. With one final peek at the stone, he turned and left.

The day itself was slow. Long hours and boring D-rank missions. Naruto didn't enjoy days like these. He was sure Sasuke didn't either, if that murderous look on his face was any indication.

Most likely Kakashi-sensei and Iruka-sensei hated these days too, Naruto concluded later on. Well... maybe hate was a bit too much to say for them. More like disheartened. Bittersweet.

Dusk found Naruto once again at the base of the Hero's stone. He glanced at all the names. He wished he knew which one he was looking for. But they were all the same, Naruto mustered up his warmest and most heartfelt smile. He then proudly presented his offering with a wobbling wet, but still firm voice.

"Happy Mother's Day, Okaa-san."

Placing the lone yellow rose -to remind her of him- atop the stone, Naruto sat beaming a brilliant smile. Pretending he was hearing her pleased praise, and seeing her blush and smile at his gift.

He ignored the silent tears. The ache in his chest. His mom. His mom wouldn't have wanted him to be sad... something like that was like a cardinal rule among mothers. So he would be happy.

Just for her.

Even if it hurt more this day then any... he'd still find that smile to put up. For her. For her he would always manage a smile.

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**Drace:**_ this is one of a few little stories that are gonna be written. By the way, this story was BETA-ed! my beta "B" looked it over and made it better than it was orginally! hurray! for B! yeah. so lettme know what you all think. I'll probably have the fother's day one written up pretty soon too. but with work and all... maybe not._


	2. get up

Some days it was harder than others to get back up. Some days it was just so much easier to just stay laying in the mud and feel defeated and like the loser they all thought he was. He just wanted to lay in the mud and let it all end.

Some days he found that it wasn't nearly so hard to huff a breath and gather his limbs once again. To uses his hands and wipe away all the dirt and try again.

This day was the one day he found himself getting up and standing taller after each and ever fall. He raised his chin and went at whatever he was trying to accomplish again.

Again and again and again. He couldn't just _stop._ He had to keep going. Had to keep trying.

Naruto stood, his hands shaking as he levered himself upright once more. Frustrated tears trying to escape down his face held at bay by will alone. Wiping his hands down himself to try and remove the mud that now clung onto him.

Naruto sighed, but found the resolve to lift that stubborn chin. He always liked to pretend he had his father's chin. His father would be there, telling him to try again. Telling him that if he just sat there nothing was going to get done.

Naruto found himself nearly unstoppable on father's day. His own father, whom ever he would have been, would be watching him. Watch him with his own chin tipped high in pride as Naruto refused to stop trying. Proud of Naruto for trying. Success was measured in what you accomplished, not in one try, but in the end.

Naruto dreamed on Father's Day that his father was standing there with a proud smile every time he managed to get back onto his feet. That his father was waiting for the day Naruto obtained his dreams, whether they remained to be him being the Hokage, or just being the fastest or whatever. His father watched him in pride that even if Naruto never became a great ninja, he'd at least given it everything he had and been as great as Naruto Uzumaki could be.

On Father's Day, Naruto dreamed that nothing could stop him, because his father would be proud of him just because he tried.

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**Drace: **_be amazed! so very terriblely amazed! i WROTE something!! awed pause yeah... i've been busy! life and all that lol. anyways i was just rereading the fisrt chapter in this list of thingys... so i up a decided i should write this thing. so wha la! here it be. enjoy... or... just not. ,_


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